The men who are in their late twenties and early thirties have enough money to buy beer in Finland but traveling to Russia and getting back with beer is cheaper than going to the store to buy beer for them.

They are not particularly worried about attracting attention of the authorities. They have friends who they can negotiate with in that part of the Finnish-Russian border.

However, they are strictly warned that they cannot spend much time in Russia.

Besides, Russia does not have a free movement policy with Finland, but to hell with it if they can buy cheap beer.

The friends make a 70 odd kilometer trip from Taipalsaari in Finland to Luzhayka in Russia that takes less than two hours.

The itinerary for the day?

Drive to the Russian border check post.

Tell the border patrolman that they are going to the store for beer and will not escape into Russia.

Promise the border patrolman some beer.

Drive to the store to buy beer at their favourite Russian store

The patrolman usually accepts the offer. “Why?”, I ask It is probably because the border policeman cannot make enough money to buy his own he tell me.

They use the time given to make a short trip further to a store outside Luzhayka, stock up their vehicle with beer, and come back the same way. They pay the border policeman with beer.

After taking the beer, the policemen open the gate for the two men to drive back to Taipalsaari. A day well spent and a nice cross-border drive.